Soil pulverizer and seeder



April 1947- w. A. HYLAND ETAL 2,418,937

S OIL PULVERI Z ER AND S EEDER F'iied May 2a, 1943 :s Sheets-Sheet 1 WILLIAM A. HYLAND ROYCE R. BORNGRAEBER INVENTORS IQ .NEY

April 15, 1947.. w. A. HYLAND VET AL ,9

SOIL PULVERIZER AND SEEDER Filed May 28, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I II!!! 36 WILLIAM A. HYLAND ROYCE R. BORNGRAEBER INVENTORS p l 1 w. A. HYLAND ETAL 7 2,418,937 Y SOIL PULVERIZER AND SEEDER Filed May 28, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 WILLIAM A. HYLAND ROYCE R. BORNGRAEBER INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 15, Y 1947 SOIL PULVERIZER AND SEEDER William A. 'I-Iy la'nd and Royce Borngraeber,

Horicon,

Wis, .assignors to.

The Van Brunt Manufactu i g o pany, .HQ icon, Winn-1mm- ;poration of Wisconsin Application May -28,

11 illaimsfifhe present invention relatesgenerally to land rollers, such as packers, pulverizers and the like, and is more particularly concerned with packers having a -=\L-shaped roller surface.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provision of a simple and inexpensive type of packer in which the axle 'is eliminated, and more particularly it is a feature -of this invention to provide a packer in which the cutting edges of the wheels are undulatory, .rather than flying in planes that are perpendicula-r :to the axis of rotation .of the roller element. Specifically,-a feature of thisinvention lies in the provisionlof -improved scraper means particularly adapted to clear the soil of the rollerelemen-t, notwithstanding the zig-zag formation thereof.

Another feature of thisinvention is the 'pro- :vision of a seeder attachment for a land roller,

withrnew and improved driving means particularly adapted -for a 'landn'oller \which may loe :con-

.structed for use without a seeder as originally marketed. Further, it :is a

feature of this in-- wention. to provide improved bearing means and improved means for holding the various wheel elements together :to form :the roller unit. It is zalsoia'feature OfathiS inventionto'provide ans-arrangement wherein substance, such as sand, shot or theg-like, may be added to the rollerto increase the efiective weight thereof :and to increase the efiiciency and usefulness of the machine.

These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the zartiafter a *considerationnfthe followin detailed description, :taken in conjunction with :the acc-companying drawings.

:In the drawings:

Figure ;1 is.:a plan =viewoiva packer or pulverizer in-{which the principles of :the :present invention have been incorporated.

Figure 2 is :a side view of :themachine shown .in Figure 1, with the seeding attachment in place.

v liligure ;3 :is an enlarged view taken ;-generally ialongthe line 3-j3';0.f Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view showing a partnf itheibearing :structu-re when y no seeding attachment is used.

Figure :5 shows a modified gang bolt arrangem nt hy whiehth packer wh els i i a wide-i plement :may be he d n a semb ed rela on.

Figure :6 is --a view taken generally along the line 01 Figure Referring now t the d a in s d more a ticularly Figures 1 :2 and 3, the land roller is i dic ted inits entirety-b theef r nce n me a from the corrugations 194 Serial "No. 488,930

1i and is propelled by a farm tractorrindicated in itsentirety by the reference numeral 2. "The land roller it comprises :a frame 3 which is made up of a pair of forwardly converging bars A and L which at their 'fonward ends are .connected .to-

getherto .fdmnla hitch 3 :thatis connected by a ,oleizis I, to :the tractor 2. The forward ends ,6 of the harsilsand are also connected .to :the front .end .of a longitudinally extending vframe member za-which atits-rear end :is vconnectedat ;9*-to a irqnt cross :har i1. Theibar .H is bolted at aitszendsgas at 12, :-t0 the rear portions tof the :frame :bars 4 and 5. The. crossihar ,1 l is disposed iIlLfI'QIJ-tof 1a flandrolle U -lit, indicated in its entirety .hy the reereneenumera1 ilfiand w ll hedescrihed in detail .helow. Th rear ends of th bars :4 and 15 .are. ho1t; d :asat '1, to reward extensions 18 of seariname nbersi thez s .s e

' 19 one o wh ch i how. i ure -1oheitudina ha 2i s; are ho tedat thei dends to th j urna Q a ti gs 9 a .attheir-r are s a eho ted to a ea t am h mher 2 w ich i d spo ed rea ard y oi the lan ro ler unit l5.

1&5 best sh wn in l enre :2 and =3, :the rol e J5 omprises a u alit o nested pack r whee s 5 ea h wheel ng o en at t center, as indica ed :by the refere ce nume a -5, and provided 'WiilhIWD side sections :2? and ,28 connected togetherscircnmierentially by a -V-shaped 1711111 9 in which a sharp u tin d es! is ormed- -.'l?h cuttin -ed e is d s osed-inanla e t at extend 5. 325 a ute ang e with resp ct to th axis at th as embl d Whe ls and, as best shown in Figure 3, lies fairy elcseto the lane of the sid .o thewheel at o e s d thereof nd at the other side-thereo qu te cl se to t e plane of thee h side 28, One "of .the sides-of each wheel, as for exam e t e s e 2.8, s ex en ed radially inwardly a sli ht add t ona amou t as co p ed with t otherside 27 and is provided with-an axially-di- .reoted flange 33, the uter diameter of which is substantially equal to the inner ,diametenof the op ni g f -med in the o er s .Alse, radially outwardlyof the flange -r 33,and,the opening fis l the sides and i8 are nrovid d with beltreceiving openings;35:and s36 there beingatleast three of such openings in each side ,2! and 28. The openings are in registry to permit passing a belt at e eth ouen. The fla ge 3 is ad ted t receive the -.a;pertured portion 27 ofthenext ,adjac nt Wheel, and the other wheels, ,being identical, likewise receive the adjacent wheels in assembled-or nested relation, with thehpenings 35 and36 o fallof the wheels in alignment. hypin- '92 formed in the thrust plate.

rality, preferably three, gang bolts or tie rods 38, 39 and 49 are extended through said wheels so as to hold them one against the other.

The roller unit I is mounted for rotation in the frame I between the front and rear cross bars II and 22 by a pair of bearing units which are substantially identical and which will now be described. A hub or bearing member 45 is provided with a bearing hub proper, indicated by the reference numeral 46, and a flange section 41. The latter is apertured, as at 48 (Figure'3), to receive the ends of the gang bolts 38, 39 and 49, the bearingmember 46 being a cylindrical section disposed for rotation in the journal box I9. Figure 3 snows the details of the bearing for the left end of the roller unit. The bearing construction for the right end is substantially the same except that, as best shown in Figure 3, the right hand end bearing 45' is provided with a recess 49 to receive the flange 33 of the right hand wheel unit25. It will be seen from Figure 3 that the heads of the gang bolts 38, 39 and 49 bear against the flange section of s e ta the right hand bearing member 45 while the threaded ends of the gang bolts pass through the flange section 41 of the bearing member 45, and screwed onto the threaded ends of the gang bolts are nuts 5| which, when tightened, serve to clamp both bearing members 45 and 45 and all of the packer wheels firmly and rigidly together in assembled relation. It will be noted that the flange section 46 includes an axially directed section 52 which is of substantially the same dimensions as the flange 33 of the packer wheel, and hence fits snugly within the opening 34 in the side 21 of the laterally outer packer wheel.

The wheel section 34 and the flange 52 at each Y end of the roller unit form cooperating shouldered and abutment portions which maintain the endbearings, described below, in alignment.

It will be noted that this form of roller unit requires no through axle shaft. The associated journal box I9 is formed with an outwardly facing shoulder 53 against which a thrust plate 54 bears. The thrust plate 54 is rigidly clamped to the bearing member 49 by means of a bolt 55, thesquare head 59 of which seats in a correspondingly formed socket 5'l'. The threaded end of the bolt 55 extends laterally outwardly through the adjacent portion of the bearing member 49 associated bearing member. In order to keep the thrust plate from turning relative to the bearing member, the latter is formed with a lug BI that is adapted to be disposed in an opening Referring to Figure 4, when the roller is sold without a seeding attachment, the outer end of the journal box is closed by a cap 66 having an interior annular inwardly facing groove 61 and a weakened frangible section 68. At the inner side the journal box i9 is provided with inner sealing means 99. The cap member 66 is secured to the journal box I9 by any suitable means as a bayonet type joint II or any other suitable fastening means, so that the inner shoulder I2 of the cap 69 is disposed against the outer face of the thrust plate 54, thus confining the latter and preventing axial displacement of the roller unit relative to the frame and vice versa. It will be understood that the bearing construction at the other side ofthe implement is as described above.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be noted that with the cutting edges 3! disposed in inclined or angled planes, the corrugations or radially inwardly disposed portions C are likewise disposed in planes lying at an angle to the axis of the roller unit I5, and hence fixed scrapers fastened to the frame I cannot be provided for clearing the corrugations C of adhering soil and the like. According to the principles of the present invention, we provide a plurality of laterally flexible means connected with the frame I and lying in the grooves or corrugations C of the roller unit I5 so as to clear the same of adhering soil and the like but, being flexible, easily accommodating the lateral shifting of the corrugations or grooves when the roller unit I5 rotates. These scraper elements, indicated in their entirety by the reference numeral 15, comprise chains 16 anchored at their front ends by means of rings II to the front cross bar II and by means of rings I8 at their rear ends to the rear cross bar 22. The chains I5 are fitted with suflicient looseness so that they may have the requisite lateral movement to follow the corrugations C during the rotation of the roller unit I5.

As best shown in Figure 2, a seeding attachment may be mounted on the frame 3, as by pairs of braces 86 and 81 and a center brace 88 cooperating with the center frame bar 8. The seeding unit 85 is more or less of conventional construction, comprising a seed container 99 having a hinged cover SI and suitable seed dispensing elements 92 controlled or'driven by a seeding shaft 93. The seed dispensing elements 92 carry or are provided with suitable spout means 99 constructed so as to scatter the seed forward of the packer wheels 25. A relatively large sprocket wheel 94 is fixed to the left end of the seeding shaft 93 and receives a sprocket chain 95 trained around a driving sprocket pinion 96. The sprocket pinion 96 is of special construction and, as best shown in Figure 3,-includes a hub portion 91 provided with an interior threadedsocket 98 whereby the sprocket pinion 96 may be screwed onto the end of the bolt 55 after the frangible or knock-out section 68 of the cap'66 has been broken away. To prevent loss of lubricant at this point, whenever the sprocket pinion 96 is mounted, suitable sealing means 99 is placed in the groove 61. The seeding unit 85 includes a control clutch I9I connected between the sprocket 94 and the seeding shaft 93. The clutch I9I is controlled by an arm I92 to the upper end of which a cable I93 is connected. The cable I93 extends forwardly through a supporting bracket I94 and is slidably received in a clip I95 carried by the center frame member 9, from which the cable I93 extends forwardly to the operators station on the tractor. If desired, the

- cable I93 may be extended from the bracket I94 directly forwardly to the tractor. The present invention is not especially concerned with the particular details of the. throw-out clutch I9I. Preferably, the clutch IN is of substantially the same construction as the clutch shown in United States Patent 2,336,099, issued December 7, 1943, to William A. Hyland, to which reference may be made if necessary.

A modified form of the present invention is shown in Figures 5 and 6. In this form of the invention the packer wheels 25 are mounted upon two sets of three rods or gang bolts. This form of the invention is particularly adaptable for very wide implements in which, due to the lengthof the gang bolts if they extended entirely from one end to the other, excessive stretch might i be encountered. Referring now to Figures 5 and 6,

amass? the left hand set of three gang bolts .or rods are indicated by the reference numeral H and the other setis indicated by the reference numeral 'll l. As best shown in "Figure 5, it will be noted that the two sets of gang bolts overlap one another by an extent greater than the thickness 'oftwo of the packer wheels. The purpose of this arrangement is to divide the strain caused by the transfer of the tension in one set of rods through the center wheels to the other set of rods. It will "be seen from Figure ,6 that the openings 35 'in'theside 2i of each of the wheels are in the nature of slots. This facilitates placing the heads of the left handset of gang bolts or rods H0 in the wheel a (Figure 5) after all of the wheels to the rightof the wheel a have been assembled o'n the gang bolts IH. After the gang bolts l I0 .are placed in the slots 35 inthe side 27 of the wheel a, all of the wheels to the left of wheel a may then be threaded onto the rods, the first two wheels, indicated at b and c in Figure 5 being threaded onto both sets-of rods or gang bolts while all wheels to the left of wheel 0 being threaded only onto the gang bolts Ill), except that the inner side of wheel (1 is threaded onto the ends of the gang bolts HI and receives the associated clamping nuts H2. It will be understood that the, head ends of the right hand set of gang bolts Il-l secure a bearing member, such as a member similar to the bearing member 45 of Figure 4, to the right end of the assembled packer wheelsshown in Figure 6 and that the threaded ends of the left hand set of gang bolts H0 connect another bearing member, preferably identical'with the right hand bearing member, to the. left end of the assembled packer wheels.

Under certain soil conditions, it may be desirable to add weight to the roller unit, and, :accordingtothe principles of the present invention, this may be effected readily by pulling the packer onto an inclined surface, such as the side ofa ditch or hill, or upon a slope of any kind, and then removing one end bearing and the end casting, parts 19 and 45 (Figure 3). This is a very simple operation and can be performed in a few minutes. Then material, such as sand, shot or the like, may be shoveled into the interior of the wheel unit, and after the desired additional weight has been incorporated, the members 45 and I9 are replaced and reconnected. This operation of adding weight to the wheel unit is materially facilitated by the lack of any through axle extending from one end to the other of the wheel unit as in prior art packers.

In the event that one of the wheels should break, all that is required to change to a new wheel is to remove the end bearing and aXle, break out the damaged wheel by means of a hammer or sledge, slide all of the adjoining wheels laterally inwardly and then place a new wheel on the outside of the other wheels, replacing the end bearing and journal While we have shown and described above the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the particular details shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of our invention.

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an agricultural implement including a soil pulverizer, packer or the like having frame means provided with laterally spaced journal boxes, 2. land roller unit having lend bearing's dis posed for rotation in said boxes, at least one aof the latter having acap member withan apertured section in axial alignment with the associated bearing member of the land roller unit, and a seeding attachment adapted to be supported on said frame .rmeans, drive means for driving the seeding attachment from the land roller, including a membenadapted to be passed into said journal box through th opening in said apertured section of the associated cap, and means connecting said member with the associated bearing to rotate with said land roller.

2. Th invention set forth in claim 1, further characterized by said one journal box having a laterally outwardly facing shoulder, a thrust plate disposed against said shoulder, bolt means securing said thrust plate to the associated bearing member, said bolt means extending laterally outwardly of said thrust plate'and in line with th'e aperture in said cap member, said driving member including a threaded section adapted'to be screwed onto the laterally outwardlypextended portion ofsaid bolt.

A bearing construction for a land roller 01 the like, comprising a journal box, a bearing member having a hub section journaled for rotation in said box, the latter having a laterally outwardlyfacing shoulder, a thrust plate adapted to be fixed to the laterally outer end of said'hub section; an apertured cap member adapted to be attached to said journal box and formed so as to provide an abutment for the laterally "outer face of said thrust plate, means for clamping said plate to said hub member, and means extending through the aperture in said cap member and drivingly connected with said clamping means.

4. A bearing construction for a land roller'or the like, comprising a journal box, a bearing member having a hub section journaled for retation in said box, the latter having a laterally outwardly facing'shoulder, a thrust plate adapted to be fixed to the laterally outer end of said'hub section, a .cap member adapted to be attached to said journal box and formed so as to provide-an abutment for the laterally outer face of said thrust plate, bolt and nut means for fixing said thrust plate to the outer end of said bearing member, the threaded end of said bolt extending laterally outwardly beyond said nut, said cap member having an apertured section adapted to receive a driving connection with said bearing member, and a driving member insertable through the aperture in said cap member and threaded onto the outer end of said bolt.

5. The invention set forth in claim 3, further characterized by said apertured cap member having a seal-receiving annular groove formed therein above the aperture in said cap member and adapted to receive sealing means cooperating with said driving member when the latter is connected with the bolt fixing the thrust plate to said hub section.

6. The combination with a soil pulverizer, packer or the like having frame means provided with laterally spaced journal boxes, and a land roller unit having end bearings disposed for rotation in said boxes, at least one of the latter having a cap member with an apertured section in axial alignment with the associated bearing member of the land roller unit, of a seeding attachment supported on said frame means, a threaded member carried by said one bearing within said cap member and in alignment with said apertured section, and drive means for driving the seeding attachment from the land roller; including a member extending into said journal box through the openingformed in the associated cap and screwed into engagement with said threaded member.

7. The combination with a soil pulverizer, packer or the like having frame means provided with laterally spaced journal boxes, and a land roller unit having end bearings disposed for rotation in said boxes, at least one of the latter having a cap member with an apertured section in axial alignment with the associated bearing member of the land roller unit, of a seeding attachment adapted to be supported on said frame means, and drive means for driving the seeding attachment from the land roller, including a member extending into said journal box through the opening in said apertured section, and connected with the associated bearing to rotate with said land roller.

8. In an agricultural implement, a gang of rotatable elements, means for fastening said elements together in axial alignment, a pair of hub members secured to the ends of said gang laterally outwardly of the outermost elements thereof by said fastening means, frame means including laterally spaced portions in which said hub members are journaled for rotation, a transverse seeding mechanism including a seeding shaft, means for mounting said seeding mechanism on said frame means, and means for driving said seeding shaft from one of said hub members comprising a member fixed to said one hub member and means connected with said last mentioned member for driving said shaft.

9. The invention set forth in claim 8, further characterized by means connected with the frame means and each hub member for holding each hub member in the associated portion of the frame means, and means connected with the holding means associated with said one hub member for establishing said driving connection.

10. In an agricultural implement, a rotatable ground engaging element, a hub member carriedthereby, frame means including a bearing member receiving said hub member, a detachable cap detachably connected with the outer end of said bearing member and inciosing the outer end of said hub member, a driving member rotatably associated with said detachable cap, and means acting between said drivin member and said hub member for detachably connecting said driving member with said hub member. s a

11. In an agricultural implement including frame means, a bearing member carried thereby, a rotatable part having a hub rotatably mounted in said bearing member, a driving member detachably and rotatably associated with said bearing member and extending into the latter, and means disposedwithin Said hub for detachably connecting said driving member with said rotatable hub member.

WILLIAM A. HYLAND. ROYCE R. BORNGRAEBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 688,577 Barber Dec. 10, 1901 1,367,736 Dunham Feb. 8, 1921 1,221,742 Kelly Apr. 3, 1917 382,612 Jensen May 8, 1888 609,069 Zimmer Aug. 16, 1898 1,041,036 Cunningham Oct. 15, 1912 1,637,424 Morrow Aug. 2, 1927 1,887,334 Spaeth Nov. 8, 1932 717,653 Ariens Jan. 6, 1903 31,089 Quarton Jan. 8, 1861 1,885,410 Brenneis Nov. 1, 1932 Re. 21,145 Goble 'July 11, 1939 725,445 Home Apr. 14, 1903 1,045,024 Helmich Nov. 19, 1912 958,346 Williamson May 17, 1910 7,110 Wakefield Feb. 19, 1850 1,106,737 Schutt Aug, 11, 1914 1,804,862 Duncan May 1% 1931 

